After four gruelling rounds of Six Nations fixtures, Ireland are the only team who can pip France to the title on the final weekend after they beat England at Twickenham for the first time in four years.
Andy Farrell's side revelled late to secure a bonus-point win at Headquarters, although England's dignity remains well intact considering they played 78 minutes with 14 men following Charlie Ewels' early red card.
In a poetic twist, Ireland will now need to don their English supporter caps given Eddie Jones ' side would still need to beat France in Paris next Saturday in order for them to finish atop the pile.
Les Bleus made it four wins from four so far this tournament after they edged Wales 13-9 on Friday, while Italy were consigned to a seventh straight Wooden Spoon following a 33-22 loss at home to Scotland.
Just one round of the 2022 Six Nations remains, and Mirror Sport has dissected some of the major talking points ahead of what promises to be a thrilling final weekend in Europe's premier Test tournament.
1. Mental fortitude no concern for England
There may have been some temptation to laugh off the threat of England chief Jones this week after he warned Ireland were about to meet a team boasting physicality the likes of which they "haven't seen before."
And yet that's exactly what the Twickenham hosts brought to a must-win match at Headquarters, where the likes of Ellis Genge, Kyle Sinckler, Maro Itoje and Jack Nowell in particular stepped up after Ewels' dismissal.
But as impressive as England were physically in the face of a one-man deficit for effectively the whole game, it's their response in the face of adversity that will have made Saturday's a lesson worth taking.
Granted, five Marcus Smith penalties were all England mustered points-wise, but a dominant maul, near-flawless scrum and rugged defensive display showed Jones the character of this new-look team.
The timing works in his favour, too, as the 18-month countdown to the 2023 Rugby World Cup commences, with England showcasing the kind of commitment that suggests the coach has plenty to work with.
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2. France fragility worth fretting over
For years, France have produced promising teams replete with potential in terms of playing ability, but it's their constitution in clutch circumstances that Les Bleus have repeatedly fallen short.
That all appeared a thing of the past given their performances in the first three rounds of the tournament, but Wayne Pivac's tactics almost succeeded in pulling off a most unexpected upset in Cardiff.
Fans caught a glimpse of French feathers being properly ruffled for the first time this year, with Taulupe Faletau and Dan Biggar in particular able to throw off the champions-on-waiting despite Wales' relatively low threat.
Galthie's squad looks far, far closer to a championship set-up, and yet Wales finished with more possession, territory and carrying metres in a match where France were ultimately desperate to see full time.
The display raises just slight doubts for what's to come in Paris next Saturday night, which will end either in tears of joy or utter agony.
3. Ireland plagued by old problems
A 17-point winning margin for Ireland should by no means disguise the travails of a team that once again struggled against a more physical opponent, in what's become a known issue for Farrell & Co.
England showed very little in terms of attacking intent after being reduced to 14 at Twickenham, and yet the guests fell victim to their own errors in the red zone and a lack of ideas when Plan A didn't succeed.
Former Ireland head coach Eddie O'Sullivan was part of RTE's coverage for the Twickenham showdown and dubbed his old side "rudderless," adding he wouldn't be "drinking the Kool-Aid on this one."
That referred to the notion he refused to hail the performance as hugely positive given the setting or circumstances, and it's easy to see why given Jack Conan and Finlay Bealham's late tries flattered the scoreline.
4. Wales crying out for union sense
Wales have—not necessarily by choice—become accustomed to hosting the occasional Friday night Six Nations fixture, which can often draw low attendances due to the difficulties that come with the timing.
Things literally reached a new low, however, when prohibitive prices meant Friday's game conjured the smallest Principality attendance for a Six Nations match since the stadium opened in 1999 (63,208).
Many of the 11,000 or so empty seats were in the top price categories in excess of £100, a fee that's all too steep considering many of those coming from further afield have so many other costs to consider.
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) must carry a bulk of the burden for a logistical misstep that could cost them off the field, while some extra home support may have even helped change the result against France.
5. New breed of Italian stallion
Scotland's Chris Harris made a major impact in Rome thanks to his first-half brace of tries, but Italy debutant Ange Capuozzo deserves an honourable mention of his own for a debut double at the Stadio Olimpico.
Entering the fray early on in the second period as a replacement for Pierre Bruno, the 22-year-old Grenoble winger beat five defenders as he danced his way across the whitewash twice in the last 15 minutes.
That display comes only a month or so after Benetton's Tommaso Menoncello grabbed a debut score of his own against France, positing huge promise for what lies in store for Italy's finishing options out wide.
